


Crossed Wires

by smarshtastic



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Blackwatch Era, Blackwatch Jesse McCree, Blackwatch Reaper | Gabriel Reyes, Dick Pics, Drinking, Drunk Texting, Drunken Confessions, M/M, Masturbation, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-21
Updated: 2017-03-21
Packaged: 2018-10-08 17:58:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10392714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smarshtastic/pseuds/smarshtastic
Summary: Jesse flips the camera open on his comm, snaps a couple of pictures. He strokes himself lazily as he flips through them: shirt rucked up, stomach exposed, a bead of precome leaking from the tip of his cock. The lower part of his face is in the frame, lip caught between his teeth. He hits send before he can think too hard about it.---Jesse accidentally sends some junk mail to his commanding officer.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fabrega](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fabrega/gifts).



> This is for the Tomfoolery prompt for [McReyes Spring Break](https://mcreyesevents.tumblr.com/). Yes, it's based on [that](https://twitter.com/arfmeasures/status/834535657393504256) tweet that everyone was tagging as McReyes a while ago. I'm going to read every single iteration of this, too. 
> 
> [fabrega](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fabrega/) is amazing. Do you know her? Have you read her fic [this](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10355766) [week](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10356327)? You should go read it because they're great. She's great. Best beta reader ever, tbh. 
> 
> You can find me on [tumblr](http://wictorwictor.tumblr.com/) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/smarshtastic).

Jesse pokes listlessly at his cereal, mind elsewhere, half-listening to the chatter of his fellow Blackwatch strike team squad members as they finish their breakfasts. Next to him, Shiga’s comm pings. He scrambles to grab it, but Edwards is too fast.

“Is that your new boyfriend?” Edwards asks, looking at the screen of Shiga’s comm. He yips and drops it like he’s been burned. Shiga grabs it up quickly, glancing at the screen before the color spreads over his cheeks. “Is that what I think it is!”

“That’s what you get for prying,” Shiga says, fingers flying across the comm’s keyboard as he sends a text.

“It’s too _early_ for that,” Edwards says. Shiga snorts. Wake looks between them interestedly.

“Too early for what?” she asks.

“Dick pics,” Edwards says, wrinkling his nose. Wake lights up.

“Really! Lemme see!” she says, leaning across the table to swipe at Shiga’s phone. He holds it away.

“Eh! All of you! Mind your business,” Shiga says.

“Listen to Shiga, Wakey,” Tack says mildly.

“We just wanna know who you’re spending time with,” Wake says, pouting. Jesse glances sideways at Shiga. He’s curious himself.

“He’s not my boyfriend and you are all nosy,” Shiga says. He pockets his comm. “Why don’t we talk about _your_ sex lives?”

“My sex life doesn’t involve sending dick pics before the crack of dawn,” Edwards sniffs.

“No, I guess you’d want pitch black so nobody has to see yours, eh, Edwards?” Wake giggles. Tack snorts into his oatmeal.

“Look, girls don’t _like_ dick pics,” Edwards says. He’s getting riled.

“Maybe because you call them ‘girls,’ Eddie,” Wake suggests. Valdez is giving Edwards a very severe look from down the table.

“I'm sure that has something to do with it,” she says. Edwards throws up his arms.

“I can never win,” he says. “I'm a nice guy, you know.”

“We know,” Prithi says placatingly, trying to make peace. Wake and Valdez exchange an eyeroll and the topic is dropped.

After they clean up their trays and start off their separate ways for their morning duties, Shiga catches up with Jesse.

“Hey,” he says, flashing Jesse an awkward, apologetic smile. “Sorry if that was weird for you.”

Jesse blinks then tries to give Shiga what he hopes is a reassuring smile of his own.

“It's alright. We both know there's no hard feelings, you know?” he says. The romance between Jesse and Shiga had been short lived, but ended relatively amicably: Jesse was pining for their commander, and Shiga deserved better. It was only awkward for a little while after they parted ways - it turns out they're better friends than they are lovers.

“Yeah, still. Don't mean to shove that in your face,” Shiga says earnestly. Jesse is really, truly glad that they're friends. His smile relaxes into something more sincere.

“Don't worry about it. Glad you're getting some.”

Shiga laughs. “Scandalizing Edwards is a pretty good bonus.”

Jesse laughs too. Shiga squeezes his shoulder.

“Listen, you should come out with us one of these nights. It's fun - no strings. You might even get your mind off a certain brooding commanding officer,” Shiga says with a wink. Jesse feels his cheeks go hot. “You could have a good time, even.”

“I'll think about it,” Jesse mumbles. Shiga laughs.

“I'll let you know next time I'm headed out.”

“Sure,” Jesse says. He isn't sure, exactly, what he's agreeing to, but he trusts Shiga not to get him into _too_ much trouble.

=-=-=

At the end of the week, Shiga invites Jesse out with a group of other folks from around the base. It's mostly people he doesn't know - having spent most of his time exclusively with the Blackwatch team - but Shiga has a knack for making friends with pretty much everyone. The group of about half a dozen or so get dressed for a party and head down the mountain and into town.

Jesse feels almost immediately out of place. It's a club full of people, loud techno music, and lots of strobing lights. Shiga presses a drink into his hand with a wink and Jesse decides _fuck it_ and relaxes.

A few drinks in and Jesse finds himself dancing with Shiga and a tall, handsome stranger. Jesse’s gone loose-limbed and smiling - genuinely enjoying himself. He even keeps dancing when Shiga slips off with his tall, handsome stranger. It feels good to let loose - maybe that's the booze talking. Jesse needed this.

A man with dark hair slides up behind Jesse, settling his hands on his hips. Jesse lets him, leaning back into him and swaying in time to the music. He lets the man turn him around, looping his arms easily around the man’s shoulders. The man has dark eyes, curly hair and Jesse pretends that he's not thinking of anyone else when the man leans in and kisses him.

It's very late, or very early, by the time Jesse makes his way back to the base. Shiga is nowhere in sight, and most of the other Overwatch folks have scattered. Jesse detaches himself from the dark haired man with a final, lingering kiss. They exchange numbers and Jesse promises to let him know the next time he is in town.

Jesse makes his way back to his room, weaving slightly. The halls are empty so there's nobody to see Jesse struggle with his door code two, three times before the door slides open. He finds a bottle of water and sucks it down as he unsteadily kicks off his boots. He flops down on the bed, still dressed. He thinks of the man with dark hair who kissed him, grinding against his body, and has a hard time keeping the image of the man from transforming into Gabriel Reyes.

Jesse normally tries to remind himself how stupid, how _impossible_ , his crush on the commander is. But, with the amount of booze currently buzzing in his system, Jesse can't be bothered to keep his mind from wandering. Eyes heavy-lidded, Jesse lets his hand wander down to the waistband of his jeans. He remembers, vaguely, Shiga's scandalous text messages from the other day. Maybe his new friend would appreciate something along those lines. Jesse fumbles for his own comm. He spreads his legs a little wider, tugging his zipper down, reaching in to take his cock into his hand. Jesse sighs through his teeth, stroking himself into hardness. It's not the man from the club that Jesse’s imagining - it's Gabe. He imagines Gabe dancing up close to him, pressing his body against Jesse’s back, his lips to the back of Jesse’s neck. He should feel bad about it, but he doesn't. He closes his eyes and pictures Gabe’s face, his broad shoulders, his trim waist, the way his sweatpants sit low on his hips…

Jesse flips the camera open on his comm, snaps a couple of pictures. He strokes himself lazily as he flips through them: shirt rucked up, stomach exposed, a bead of precome leaking from the tip of his cock. The lower part of his face is in the frame, lip caught between his teeth. He hits send before he can think too hard about it.

Jesse drops his comm into the sheets and goes back to stroking himself in earnest. He presses his thumb into the precome clinging to the tip of his cock, smearing it around. His feet pull up the sheets as his toes curl. He's panting, trying to keep his voice down, but when he comes hot and sticky across his stomach, it's Gabe’s name that falls from his lips.

=-=-=

In the darkness of his quarters, Commander Reyes’s comm flashes with an unread message. Reyes rolls over but doesn't wake up.

=-=-=

The next morning, Jesse is nursing a hangover and a large cup of strong coffee, forcing himself to choke down some cereal even though his stomach is doing somersaults. Shiga plops down across from him, looking enviously bright eyed.

“I'm glad you came last night,” Shiga says. “Jan said he's smitten with the ‘Electric Cowboy.’ I think he means you.”

Jesse puts his head down on the table. He does remember saying something to that effect. In the light of day, it's a bit more embarrassing than it was the night before.

“Well I'm glad he doesn't think I'm a moron,” Jesse mumbles. Shiga laughs.

“Nah. He said you exchanged numbers, even,” Shiga presses. Jesse peeks up at him.

“Yeah. He seemed nice,” Jesse says. Shiga raises an eyebrow. “I texted him when I got back.”

“And your type, huh?”

Jesse puts his head back down in the crook of his arm and groans.

“I'm never going to live it down, am I?”

“Definitely not,” Shiga says agreeably. Jesse groans into his elbow as Shiga laughs again, gently. “Don't worry. I won't tell anyone else. I'm just glad you came out.”

Jesse looks up again, resting his chin on his arm. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. I don't like seeing you moping around here all the time,” Shiga says. “A guy like you? He deserves to get some action.”

=-=-=

Commander Reyes takes his morning coffee alone in his office. He finds it the best time to get through updates and reports - before the rest of the base wakes up, before morning PT begins, and the rest of the day’s distractions begin in earnest. He scrolls through his work messages, efficiently checking things off his list, until he notices a personal message on the internal Blackwatch system. That's unusual. Reyes clicks through to the message and nearly spits out his coffee when he realizes what he's looking at.

It's - Reyes is embarrassed to admit it - but it's the lip bite, combined with the distinct facial hair that makes the person in the picture instantly recognizable.

Reyes stares at the picture for much longer than strictly necessary. When he realizes he's still staring, he jolts upright and clicks the tablet off, looking around as if anyone could have seen him. He leans back in his chair, paperwork forgotten. It's not like he'll be able to concentrate anymore anyway.

=-=-=

Jesse manages not to throw up during the morning’s training activities, which he feels is an accomplishment in and of itself. In a strange turn of events, Commander Reyes is almost nowhere to be found at all that day. Jesse can't help but feel the disappointment. Shiga notices his mood during lunch.

“What's that face for?” Shiga asks. “Still hungover? Or did Jan never text you back?”

Jesse makes a face. “Hungover,” he says, only partially lying. “I haven't checked if he did or not.”

“Well you should! Electric cowboy, remember? He was all over you,” Shiga says. Jesse makes a face and digs out his comm. He opens up his sent messages and immediately feels the color drain from his face.

“Oh no,” Jesse croaks. Shiga blinks and straightens in his seat.

“What? What's that face for? Did Jan say something?”

Jesse wordlessly hands the comm over to Shiga and thumps his head against the cafeteria table.

“Jesse, I know what your dick looks like -” Shiga starts to say.

“Look at the _recipient_ ,” Jesse manages to choke out. There's a pause and then Shiga makes a noise that's somewhere between horror and laughter.

“Oh no. Oh _no_. Oh my god,” Shiga says. He leans in close and hisses, “You sent this to Reyes?!”

Jesse groans into the table. Shiga shakes his head, looking at Jesse’s comm again.

“Well, I mean, it's a pretty sexy picture.”

Jesse snatches his comm back.

“Stop that!”

“It is!”

“I'm dead. I should be dead. Let’s - let's go make me dead? Right now?”

“Oh come on,” Shiga says reasonably. “I'm sure it's not the first dick pic Commander Reyes has seen.”

“Maybe he hasn't seen it yet?” Jesse says. He looks down at his comm again and sees the small check mark and the damning words ‘Read at 07:07’ just below the picture. What little color was left in his face drains completely away. He sets the comm down carefully, deliberately, then puts his head down again too. “He's seen it.”

“Well,” Shiga says, searching for something reassuring to say. It takes longer than it should, effectively negating any comfort Shiga had hoped to express. “He hasn’t fired you yet?”

Jesse makes a small keening noise into the table. Shiga reaches over and pats his head gently.

“Look, you can’t be the first one. I’m sure he’s just going to pretend like it never happened,” Shiga says.

“I can never face him again.”

“You’re being dramatic now,” Shiga tsks. “No reason to freak out until you’re given a reason to.”

=-=-=

That reason comes just before dinner that night. Jesse spent the afternoon in a dazed panic, horribly unproductive, distracted. His comm pings as he’s leaving the range with Shiga, Edwards and Valdez. Jesse fumbles for it, the panic rising up again. He reads the message and feels, suddenly, like he’s going to throw up. Shiga claps a hand on his shoulder, trying to go for a steadying gesture.

“Your new friend, right, Jesse?” Shiga asks. Edwards perks up.

“New friend? You got a new boyfriend too, Jesse?” Edwards asks.

“Didn’t you learn from last time?” Valdez asks. “You know what happens when you pry.”

“Shiga left his out in the open,” Edwards complains. “It wasn’t my fault.”

Jesse clears his throat, but his voice still comes out high. “Nah, it was just Reyes. I’ll see you all at dinner.”

Shiga’s eyes go a little wide, meeting Jesse’s look. “Sure. See you later.”

Jesse stumbles off to Reyes’ office, heart pounding in his throat. He feels like he’s moving through glue even as his mind races through the possibilities. He could be kicked out, probably, or suspended - maybe they’d send him to Overwatch proper, or he’d lose his fieldwork qualifications. It’s insubordination, harassment, _sexual_ harassment…

Jesse takes a deep breath, preparing to face his doom. He knocks on the door.

“Come in,” Reyes’ voice comes coolly through the door. Jesse steps inside, pulling his hat off his head and holding it in front of him, trying his best to look contrite. Reyes’ back is to him. Jesse stands at full attention, by all appearances an exemplary agent.

“Sir, I can explain,” Jesse blurts out. He watches Reyes’ shoulders go stiff. “It was an accident. I was drunk - there was… I was thinking about… And ‘cause I was drunk, see - it wasn’t supposed to, ah. Um.”

“You sent me a picture of your dick,” Reyes says, turning to face Jesse finally. He’s holding a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a half-full glass in the other.

“I - um. Yes. I did. Sir. But it was an accident.”

“An accident?” Reyes repeats.

“Well, uh, yeah,” Jesse says. He would like to be dead, right now. He can’t read Reyes’ expression and he’s pretty sure if lightning doesn’t come down from heaven above to strike him where he stands, Reyes is about to do it himself.

“I see.”

A silence falls between them. Jesse never was much good at letting the silence sit.

“See, it’s just that - well, I’ve had a crush on you, Gabe - Reyes - _sir_ \- and I couldn’t help, um, thinking of you when I was… drunk. But I was really, _really_ drunk and I’m better at… I know that it ain’t appropriate ‘cause you’re my CO and all, so - I’m sorry,” Jesse rambles. “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

Reyes sets the bottle of whiskey down on his desk.

“I see,” Reyes says again. Jesse wishes he’d say something else.

“I ain’t - I’m gonna try to stop having a crush on you. It ain’t - I mean, it’s against the rules. Fraternization, I mean. So I ain’t expecting anything. But - um. I’m sorry.”

Reyes still doesn’t say anything, blinking at Jesse from across his desk. Jesse bolts.

=-=-=

Jesse skips dinner, choosing instead to hide in his room. If someone could die of embarrassment, he’s well on his way. Reyes’ stone-cold expression is burned forever into his retinas. Jesse vaguely considers tendering his resignation before word gets out about his serious fuck up. Hours go by, the sky darkening outside his window, but nothing happens. It’s definitely worse than _some_ thing happening, Jesse is sure of that. He just wants it to be over.   

It’s late - very late. Jesse is exhausted from the emotional turmoil of the day but he knows there’s no way he’s going to sleep.

Jesse’s comm pings.

He presses his face further into his pillow, mind racing through the possibilities he’ll find on the comm - suspension, discharge papers? Nothing good, that’s for sure.

In an effort to make his brain shut up, Jesse reaches toward his nightstand and feels around for his comm. His fingers close around it and bring it to his face. Jesse turns his head on the pillow and looks at the comm. He has a message - a picture message. He swipes open the comm and navigates to his messages.

Jesse sits straight up in his bed. On his screen is a picture that’s unmistakably Commander Reyes’ - _Gabe’s_ bare chest, complete with a trail of hair down to the waistband of his sweatpants that are just _barely_ clinging to his hips, and a noticeable bulge between his legs. Jesse’s mouth goes dry. Then he sees the caption:

_This one isn’t an accident. Let me know if you’ve changed your mind._

Jesse is pretty sure he’s hallucinating. He stares at the picture, stares at the sender name - it’s definitely Gabe. It definitely is. He recognizes that scar across his pec, even. Jesse swallows thickly, thumbs hovering over the keyboard. He texts back: _Really_?

There’s a long pause. Jesse stares at his comm, waiting for it to ping again, but the silence stretches on. He sets his comm back on his nightstand. Wishful thinking, really, he chides himself. Stupid, fucking -

The comm pings and Jesse nearly jumps out of his skin. He fumbles for it and looks at the message.

It’s from Gabe - another picture, his thumb hooked in the waistband of his sweats, tugging them down further, but still coy. The caption:

_I’m serious._

Jesse nearly falls over himself as he scrambles off of his bed. His feet take him to Gabe’s quarters before he even knows what he’s doing. He knocks on the door and it slides open. Gabe is standing there, shirtless, sweats low on his hips. Jesse blinks at him in disbelief.

“Really?” Jesse asks again. Gabe gives Jesse a smile, and he’s struck by how uncertain, how shy his commanding officer looks.

“Yeah,” Gabe says. He rubs the back of his head. “Only if you want. That - that’s important. That you want this.”

“Yes,” Jesse says immediately, breathlessly. “Yes, yes. I meant it, what I said - So, yes. Definitely yes.”

Gabe bites his lip, smile spreading wider. “You should - we shouldn’t do this in the hallway.”

“Can I…?”

Gabe stands back from the door so Jesse can step inside. The door slides shut behind them and Jesse closes the space between them, reaching up to pull Gabe’s face to his own for a bruising kiss. He feels Gabe stiffen for a moment, then melt into it, kissing Jesse back. Jesse’s heart soars.

“Really?” Jesse asks, still pressed up close to Gabe’s mouth.

“Should be asking you the same,” Gabe murmurs. Jesse kisses him again.

“I was never gonna get over you,” Jesse says, peppering more kisses over his face, just because he can. “Really.”


End file.
